Why Do You Need an Official New Hampshire State Architectural Seal?
The state of New Hampshire is home to a number of registered and licensed architects, all of whom need to have a New Hampshire architectural embosser stamp or seal for the drawings, plans, and documents they complete. The seal shows that they have created the work, or that they've reviewed the work for which they are responsible, and are signing off on it, indicating that it is okay to continue. The board requires that these seals are used to ensure the architect takes full responsibility for the work they've done and approved. The architects in the state will need to obtain their New Hampshire architectural embosser stamp as soon as they get the license. It is important to make sure that the New Hampshire architectural embosser stamp complies with the requirements of the board, which we will discuss below.
What is Required of a New Hampshire State Seal?
According to the law in the state, the architect will need to use the New Hampshire architectural embosser stamp for all of their final drawings as well as plans, specifications, reports, and any other "architectural reports and documents" that involve the field. In addition to having the New Hampshire architectural embosser stamp, they will also need to bear the signature of the architect as well as the date when they were signed.
The New Hampshire architectural embosser stamp or seal needs to follow a very specific set of requirements to be used and considered valid in the state. It can be a rubber stamp or an embossing seal, and it needs to be circular. In addition, it needs to measure 1-9/16" in diameter.
The stamp design is composed of an outer circle and an inner area. The outer circle must have a border made out of short, vertical lines. In that outer circle, the words "Licensed Architect" must be in an arc at the top, and "The State of New Hampshire" in an arc at the bottom. The two arcs are separated on either side by two stars. The inner area is separated from the outer circle by a solid black line. At the center of the area is the architect's name, followed by "No." and the architect's commission number.
This next part is extremely important. The name needs to be the full name of the licensee written on three lines. This will include the first name on the top line, the middle name on the middle line, and the last name on the bottom line.
What Constitutes a Violation of Law Regarding Use of Your Seal?
It is important that the New Hampshire architectural embosser stamp matches all of the current requirements of the state in order to be valid. It is a violation to use the seal on any documents after the license expires or is suspended or revoked. It is also a violation to seal documents that they did not personally prepare or that were not prepared under their supervision. Those who are looking to learn more information about the New Hampshire architectural embosser stamp should visit the State of New Hampshire Board of Architects.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the New Hampshire architectural embosser stamp requirements for architects?
In New Hampshire, an architect’s seal must be circular and measure 1-9/16" in diameter. It can be either a rubber stamp or an embossing seal, but it must include the required wording, the architect’s full name, and their commission number to be considered valid by the state board.
What information must appear on a New Hampshire architect seal?
The seal must include “Licensed Architect” at the top, “The State of New Hampshire” at the bottom, two stars separating the phrases, and the architect’s full name with “No.” plus the commission number in the center. The full name must appear on three lines: first, middle, and last name.
When is a New Hampshire architectural seal required?
The seal is required on final drawings, plans, specifications, reports, and other architectural documents. It is used to show that the architect created or reviewed the work and is taking responsibility for it before it moves forward in permitting or construction.
Do New Hampshire architectural documents need both a signature and date along with the seal?
Yes. In addition to the seal, the architect’s signature and the date of signing are required on the documents. This helps confirm who approved the work and when it was signed.
Can an architect use a New Hampshire seal on documents they did not prepare?
No. It is a violation to seal documents that the architect did not personally prepare or that were not prepared under their supervision. The seal should only be used on work the architect is responsible for.
What happens if a New Hampshire architect uses a seal after their license expires or is suspended?
Using the seal after a license has expired, been suspended, or been revoked is a violation. Architects should stop using the seal immediately if their license is no longer active, since the seal is only valid while the license is current.
